FCC To Fire Up Nationwide 9-1-1 Texting For 2014

Some millennials can probably text faster than they can talk, and by 2014, they'll be able to SMS a call for help.

The FCC, along with AT&T, Verizon, Spring, and T-Mobile, has been testing a text-to-911 emergency alert system for some time now, and together the group has agreed to "accelerate" its launch. The four major carriers are planning big rollouts for 2013, and plan to have the whole country covered by mid-May 2014. According to the FCC, the text feature is designed to be complementary to the voice calling system, and people in need of assistance should opt to call if they can.